Voters reject Socorro and Ysleta ISDs tax proposals

Tax measures that would have increased funding for the Socorro and Ysleta school districts have been defeated, final election results show.

Just over 57% of Socorro Independent School District and 56% of Ysleta Independent School District voters rejected their designated tax proposals, both of which appeared as Proposition A on the Nov. 3 ballot. 

In the Tornillo Independent School District, 70% of voters also rejected a similar proposal with the same name.

The districts’ voter-approval tax ratification propositions asked voters to authorize an increase to the operations portion of their tax rates beyond the state’s limit.

SISD Superintendent James Vasquez said the district will need to make more budget reductions, but did not specify what they might be.

“This isn’t the result we were hoping for, but we will use this time to start planning our next steps,” Vasquez said in a news release Wednesday.

“The cost-saving measures we’ve put in place so far aren’t enough, and we must now consider larger reductions,” Vasquez added. “We’ve managed our funds conservatively, passing two balanced budgets, but we will have to make some more difficult choices.”

The district last year laid off more than 40 teachers after initially considering up to 300 employees.

YISD Superintendent Xavier De La Torre said the tax proposal wasn’t the struggling district’s only strategy to stay afloat financially, but noted that layoffs may be possible. 

A reduction in force may depend on the number of employees who retire in December – the district is offering $7.500 payouts to those who resign at the end of the semester – as well as changes to the employee health plan that could cut district expenses.

“I am prepared to make any and all recommendations to the school board to make sure that we are in a fiscally solvent position. Because ultimately, it’s about protecting the student experience,” De La Torre told El Paso Matters Wednesday morning. 

The district this summer adopted a budget that nearly depleted its savings.

The propositions included language on the ballot reading “this is a tax increase” — which is required by state law because the districts would have collected additional tax revenue if the measures were approved.

Under the proposals, SISD was expected to generate up to $49.2 million in additional revenue a year, while YISD expected to generate up to $5.5 million.

SEE ALSO: Socorro ISD calls for tax ratification election to fund teachers, raises, student programs

SISD planned to use the new funds to give employees raises, reduce class sizes and maintain heating and cooling systems, among other initiatives. District officials also hoped to use the funds to rebuild the district’s reserves, which have shrunk significantly after nearly a decade of spending more money than it generated in revenue. The district adopted a $462.1 million budget in June. It was the second consecutive year that its expenses did not exceed its revenue in nearly a decade.

Last year, SISD voters rejected a similar VATRE proposition by about 6 percentage points, or 850 votes.

YISD’s proposal was part of a larger financial stabilization plan that will prevent layoffs and begin rebuilding its savings. In June, the district adopted a budget of over $391 million with a $12 million deficit for the current school year that would nearly deplete its reserves. The plan includes offering separation incentives to employees looking to retire in December.

Tornillo ISD’s proposal would have generated over $1.5 million a year and been used to replace school buses to meet the state’s new seat belt requirements, among other improvements.

READ MORE: Voters to decide on Ysleta ISD tax rate that would have little to no impact on most homeowners

The elections were triggered after their school boards adopted tax rates above the voter-approval rate — the highest they could have adopted without going to the polls under state law.

The SISD board in August adopted a tax rate of $1.05 per $100 valuation for the 2026 tax year, while its voter-approved rate is 93 cents per $100 valuation.

The YISD school board adopted a tax rate of $1.19 per $100 valuation. The district’s voter-approval rate is $1.15 per $100 valuation.

Under the proposals, most YISD homeowners and a quarter of SISD homeowners would have seen little to no impact on the district’s portion of their tax bill due to homestead exemptions that reduce the taxable value of their home. 

Homeowners in Texas can qualify for a $140,000 exemption, and people over 65 can get an additional $60,000. YISD provides an additional 20% homestead exemption.

PAC support, voters split

The Keep Ysleta Strong PAC has spent $18,500 on unspecified expenses supporting the Ysleta ISD tax proposal, with the El Paso Association of Contractors Building El Paso PAC donating $5,000. In all, the Keep Ysleta Strong PAC received $22,500 in contributions.

Keep Ysleta Strong PAC Chair Daniel Gomez declined El Paso Matters’ request for comment.

In Socorro, a political action committee, made up of members of SISD’s Finance and Operations Advisory Committee, raised $33,450 to support Proposition A, according to campaign finance reports filed Oct. 26. The committee was formed in 2025 to help the district develop a long-term financial strategy and recommended calling for the VATRE.

The Support Socorro ISD Schools PAC spent almost $47,500 promoting Proposition A. This included two purchases totaling over $41,000 to Airport Printing for unspecified advertising.

Some of the PAC’s largest contributions included $10,000 from the Building El Paso PAC and $5,000 each from local businessman Woody Hunt, Banes General Contractors. The PAC also received a contribution from an unknown donor that went by the name Student First.

READ MORE: Mystery donor gives $5,000 to PAC supporting Socorro ISD tax proposal 

The PAC also got $1,000 from the Joseph Moody campaign and $500 from the Veronica Escobar campaign

Joe Espinoza, chair of the Support Socorro ISD Schools PAC, did not respond to El Paso Matters’ request for comment.

The Keep Ysleta Strong PAC has spent $18,500 on unspecified expenses supporting the YISD’s tax proposal, and received $22,500 in contributions. This includes $5,000 each from the El Paso Association of Contractors, Jobe Materials and Hunt and $3,000 from Banes General Contractors.

SISD voters who spoke to El Paso Matters during early voting were divided on the tax rate proposition. 

Victor Moraza, whose daughter attends SISD, expressed frustration with the district’s financial management in recent years.

Moraza said he doesn’t know much about Proposition A, but expects it to increase property taxes and planned to vote against it. 

“I think we all should live within our means. And I don’t feel that the burden should be on us taxpayers,” Moraza said as he waited in line to vote at the Eastside El Paso County Annex.

Deborah Gonzalez, 71, said she planned to vote in favor of the proposition after hearing from teachers about how it would benefit them, with a limited impact on her tax bill. Texas law freezes school property taxes for homeowners age 65 and older, so the proposition would not impact their tax bill.

“They said that it wouldn’t make a big difference on us, but it would make a big difference for them,” Gonzalez said.

Editor’s Note: 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4: This story has been updated to include comments from the Socorro ISD and Ysleta ISD superintendents.

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